WELCOME Parents and Students!

1. WELCOMEParents and Students! ADVANCED PLACEMENT Informational Meeting Cuyahoga Falls High School

2. Agenda/Topics to Be Covered • What is Advanced Placement (AP)? • Why take AP Courses? • Why take the Exam? • Who should take the Courses and Exams? • Advanced Placement at CFHS • Introduction of Courses • Contacts for more information

3. What is ADVANCED PLACEMENT? The Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses gives students the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school. Taking the end-of-course AP Exam sends a powerful message to colleges and universities that a student is ready for them, and can enable students to gain admission, college credit, and placement into advanced courses. College Board, The Value of AP Courses and Exams

4. What’s the Difference betweenAP and “Enriched”? • ENRICHED/ Honors courses- advanced level versions of regular level classes • AP Courses • reflect what is being taught in cutting-edge college courses. • AP Exams verify that the student has mastered college-level studies. College Board: Connect to College Success

5. The Benefits of AP Courses AP courses can be challenging, but it’s work that pays off. AP courses are often the most interesting and fulfilling courses a student takes in high school. AP teachers are among the most prepared, dedicated, and inspiring teachers at their schools. Students develop confidence, and learn the study habits and time management skills essential for success in college.

6. DID YOU KNOW?... COLLEGE COUNTS!! http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/assessment/ap According to the U.S. Census Bureau, median annual earnings for college graduates are about 60 percent higher than those of workers who have only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, the gap in earnings between the two groups can exceed$1 million.

7. Did You Know? http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/placement/ap/studies the academic intensity of a student's high school curriculum [is] the most important precollegiate predictor of bachelor's degree completion. The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School through College (2006) (.pdf/658K) by Clifford Adelman

8. Why Take AP Courses? • Stand Out in the College Admissions Process • Demonstrate your maturity and readiness for college. • Show your willingness to push yourself to the limit. • Emphasize your commitment to academic excellence. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html

9. AP and College Admission “We look favorably on students who have taken AP courses. The presence of AP courses is a sign that a student has chosen to challenge him/herself.” —Admission Officer Colleges rank “Grades in college prep courses” and “Strength of curriculum” as the top two factors in the admission decision.* 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions.** * 2009 State of College Admission, NACAC ** Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc. March 2007

10. Why Take AP Courses? http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html • Gain the Edge in College Preparation • Get a head start on college-level work. • Improve your writing skills and sharpen your problem-solving techniques. • Develop the study habits necessary for tackling rigorous course work.

11. What Are AP Courses Like? AP courses typically demand more of students than regular or honors courses. Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material than typical high school classes. More time, inside and outside of the classroom, is required to complete lessons, assignments and homework. AP teachers expect their students to think critically, analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.

12. How YOU can help your AP students: Encourage time management Remind them to prioritize Recommend they form study groups Designate specific areas for homework and studying

13. AP Exams • A specific Date in May. • Exams usually last around three hours. • Each AP Exam contains: • Multiple-choice questions • Free-response questions (essay, problem-solving, oral response) • AP Exam fee for 2011 is $87 per exam

14. Why Take AP Exams? http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/assessment/ap/plan/motivating Earn credit or placement for qualifying AP Exam grades (Save $$$) Stand out in the admissions process Earn academic scholarships and awards from colleges and universities Experience a college-level exam Be prepared for college-level course work

15. Why Take AP Exams? More than 3,200 colleges and universities offer credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores. This includes more than 90 percent of four-year U.S. colleges and universities. Credit: Students earn points toward their college degrees Advanced placement: Students can skip introductory courses, enter higher-level classes, and/or fulfillgeneral education requirements.

16. AP Credit Expands Students’ Options • “As a freshman, I was able to skip general education requirements and head straight into the higher-level classes I wanted to take. Taking AP Exams literally saved me semesters of time.”—Brent Wiese, University of Iowa College credit earned through AP Exams allows students to move into upper-level college courses sooner, pursue a double major, and gain time to study and travel abroad.

17. AP Credit Policy Information Information about AP credit and placement policies at many colleges and universities is available at www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy. • Search by college or university name or by letter of the alphabet • You will see two things for each school: • A link to the college’s own Web page that details its AP credit and placement policies. • A statement by the college or university about its AP policy.

18. Did You Know? http://professionals.collegeboard.com/higher-ed/placement/ap/studies AP students who earned credit by examination tended to make the same or higher grades in subsequent courses than did the other comparison groups An Investigation of the Validity of AP Grades of 3 and a Comparison of AP and Non-AP Student Groups (2002) (.pdf/236K) by Barbara G. Dodd, Steven J. Fitzpatrick, R. J. De Ayala, and Judith A. Jennings

19. Experience a college-level test The intensity of college exams catches far too many first-year students by surprise. Taking the AP Exams will put you a step ahead, and give you a clear understanding of what you need to succeed on a college exam. “Students who have prepared for and taken the AP Exams more easily adapt to taking college essay exams, and are especially skilled in including a thesis and a well-developed argument. They are also less intimidated by sophisticated, college-level multiple-choice questions that seek to test understanding over memorization.” Robert Blackey, Professor of History, California State University: San Bernardino

20. AP Helps Students Graduate on Time… • * IPEDS database, 2008 • ** Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, “College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences.” The College Board, 2008. Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on time. Only one in four students who enter college complete a bachelor’s degree in four years.* A recent study** showed that students taking AP courses and exams were much more likely to earn a college degree in four years. For example, AP English Literature students had four-year college graduation rates that were 62% higher than students that had not taken AP English Literature.

21. … and Save Money * Costs include tuition, fees, and books and supplies only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2009-10 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board, ”Trends in College Pricing,” 2009. • Students who take five years or more to graduate can spend $8,000-$27,000 for each additional year in college. • The typical college cost per year for a four-year public institution is $8,142 for in-state students and $19,670 for out-of-state students.* • Students attending private institutions might expect to incur $27,389 for each additional year it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree.*

22. AP Boosts Eligibility for Scholarships “Having the AP Exam score can make the difference when it comes down to awarding precious scholarship dollars.” —Edwina Harris Hamby, former Dean of Admission, Fisk University 31% of colleges and universities consider a student’s AP experience when making decisions about which students will receive scholarships.* * Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc. March 2007

23. Be a step ahead If you decide to take the corresponding college course after taking the AP Exams, you’ll have the tools to excel. “I received a 3 on my AP English Exam, but since I love English and hope to take all the English courses that I could possibly get my hands on, I decided to take English 111 in college. My college class is covering the same material I studied in AP English. Thanks to my experience preparing for the free-response questions, my frequent essay exams are a breeze. By taking AP, I’m a step ahead of the others in my class. I know the material and I know the process.” Anne Elliott, First-Year Student, University of Connecticut

24. AP and College Success “One of the best standard predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement Examinations.” —William Fitzsimmons,Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, Harvard University *Krista Mattern, Emily Shaw, and Xinhui Xiong, “The Relationship Between AP Exam Performance and College Outcomes” (2009), The College Board. A recent study* showed that students who earned a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP Exam had higher first-year college grade point averages and were more likely to return for the second year of college than non-AP students of similar ability.

25. Student Feedback Our own students from Cuyahoga Falls have saved significant tuition costs and report that their experiences in AP have greatly prepared them for college work

26. Who Should Take the AP Courses and Exams? http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html With 37 courses and exams across 22 subject areas, AP offers something for everyone. The only requirements are a strong curiosity about the subject you plan to study and the willingness to work hard.

27. AP Access and Equity Initiative - Access for All Students Guiding principle for AP programs All students deserve an opportunity to participate in rigorous and academically challenging courses and programs All students who are willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum should be considered for admission to AP courses.

28. The College Board encourages the elimination of barriers that restrict access for AP courses to students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the AP Program. Schools should make every effort to ensure that their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population.

29. Advanced Placement at CFHS • Outstanding & well-qualified teaching staff • Elective and Replacement Courses • Weighted Grades • Course Offerings vary yearly • Exams in MAY – Fees required

30. The AP Courses at CFHS • Calculus AB • Chemistry • Computer Science • English Literature and Composition* • Studio Art: 2D • US Government and Politics* • US History • World History • Also: Biology, Physics, Economics, Art History, Art 3D, Drawing

31. AP CALCULUS AB Mr. Michael Kern

32. 1-credit elective, 12th grade PREREQUISITE • Pre-Calculus (A) or Enriched Pre-Calculus (A or B)

33. AP COMPUTER SCIENCE1-credit elective, 10-11-12 Mr. William Johnson

34. Course description • Taught in the programming language JAVA, which is used in programming classes at The University of Akron and Kent State University. • Hands-on curriculum - 80-90% of the class is spent writing programs.

35. Types of Programs • Real world applications like maintaining an ATM and calculating pay stubs. • Mathematical concepts like set theory and linear regression. • Hangman game and a Pig Latin translator

36. Web Enhanced Course • All lecture notes, samples and assignments are on-line. • Web Enhanced course are becoming more and more common in colleges. • www.mrj1226.com

37. Pre-Requisite: Enriched Computer Programming (A or B) • Math Teacher Recommendation required • Recommend completion of or concurrency with Discrete Math

38. AP ENGLISH LITERATURE & COMPOSITION Mrs. Ann Rogers

39. WHAT to EXPECT • Three 3-4 page literacy analysis papers per grading period PLUS One in-class essay per week • Be proficient with: • Writing lead-ins and lead-outs when citing in essays • Writing well-developed thesis statements • Reliability of websites when researching for essays • CFHS Plagiarism Policy • MLA format • Works Cited • Parenthetical documentation —including proper placement of punctuation

40. PREREQUISITE • Enriched Language Arts 10 &11 (A or B) AND Teacher recommendation OR • College Preparatory Language Arts 11 (A) AND Teacher recommendation ALSO: • Proficiency with MLA Format • Writing Sample (junior year) 1-credit for 12th grade Language Arts

41. AP STUDIO ART2D, 3D, DRAWING Mr. Craig Wargowsky Ms. Kerry Conti • PREREQUISITE • Complete any Group III course • Teacher recommendation • Portfolio review

42. Concentration: Students must complete12 works revolving around a common theme or concept. Research and an artist statement are required for this portion.

43. Concentration 2-DAnnie Bruckner,Hinsdale Township HS Central, Hinsdale, IL

44. Breadth: Students must complete12 pieces (8 pieces for 3-D) that show a student’s range of ability, techniques, problem solving, and ideation.

45. Breadth 2-DNina Perala Northview High School, Duluth, GA

46. Quality: Students will send in 5 pieces that are the best examples of concept, composition, and execution.

47. Student Expectations • Research Art History • Planning • Self-Critique • Assessment of strengths and weaknesses • Bi-monthly group critiques • Sketchbook • Slides • Working multiple projects at a time

48. Exam • Students submit slides of their work, an artist statement of their concentration, and 5 works that show quality. • The exam for students is their completed portfolio. • Their portfolio’s are sent to be judged by the AP panel of artists, AP teachers, and other qualified individuals.

49. AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS Mr. Rick Lieberman

50. 1-credit for required Government course PREREQUISITE • Enriched American History (A or B) • Juniors also require Teacher recommendation